KNOXVILLE,
TENN. - December 4, 2012 - The Salvation Army and Walmart are
partnering this
Christmas season to help provide new toys and coats to local children on
Christmas as part of the 122nd Annual Red Kettle Campaign. The "Fill
the Truck" toy drive will be hosted at several Knoxville-area Walmarts, along
with more than 2,500 other Walmart stores across the country, on Saturday,
December 8.

"The
Salvation Army is excited to again partner with Walmart. Each year, Walmart is
there to help us meet demands and provide a special Christmas to families and
individuals in the Knoxville area who may not otherwise have a Christmas to
celebrate," said Area Commander Major Albert Villafuerte.

The
"Fill the Truck" event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday,
December 8, and is open to the general public. Shoppers will receive a list of
suggested gifts to help fill the collection bin at the store. Once the bin is
full, The Salvation Army will take the donations to its Christmas Warehouse and
distribute the gifts to local children in need. The Salvation Army hopes to
provide gifts to hundreds of local children as a result of the one-day
event.

The
Knoxville-area Walmarts participating in the toy and coat drive include the
stores at:

The
Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church
established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without
discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans
receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array
of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for
disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill,
clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged
children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to carry out those services in
5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.